Spring device



Sept. .23, 1 941.

J. K. woob SPRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1959 5 Sheejzs-Sheet l INVENTOR J. K. WOOD SPRING DEVICE Sept; 23, 1941.

Filed Feb. 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JD'EPH A747: 144900.

p J. K. WOOD 2,256,784

SPRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 MINIMU NORMAL MAxiMo M 776;! O (14 g7 T115. I

i n w E Ml. 1

Patented Sept; 23, 1941 NT OFFICE SPRING DEVICE Joseph Kaye Wood, Providence, R. 1., asiiignor to General Spring Corporation, New York, N. Y., I a corporation of New York 1 Application February 28, 1939, Serial No. 259,009

.2 Claims.

This invention relates to spring support oi. the general type set forth in my prior Patents Nos. 1,816,164 and 1,937,135 and in my copending application, Serial No. 20,511flled May 9, 1935 now Patent No. 2,145,704.

More particularly this invention relates to a device which is adjustable to accurately adapt the device to the particular load which it supports. In devices of the type set forth in my prior patents and applications, it is important that the device should operate in the particular angular range for which it is designed; and inasmuch as one of its primary purposes is to atford accurate support to movable loads it is an important feature of these devices that they should be adjustable to vary to some degree the force exerted upon the load. Although means for adjustment is disclosed in my prior patents, some difliculty has been experienced with these devices .due to the fact that the adjustment if made by a mechanic not familiar with such devices might not be properly correlated at various parts of the device, or that the device might not be properly adjusted to operate within the angular range of movement for which it was designed.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device in which correlated and cooperating indicating means are provided to facilitate proper adjustment at all parts of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact and rugged structure of the type described.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the followin description and the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that the invention may likewise be embodied in other forms and that numerous constructional features of the particular embodiment shown are optional, being chosen for reasons of convenience.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation, partly in section of a spring hanger embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section, partly in plan taken on line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 F18. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in end elevation, partly I frame and housing member It in which near one end a lever or bell crank lever I2 is pivoted on the bolt H. Near one end of this bell crank is adjustably secured the pivot bolt l3, on which the eye-bolts l4 attached to the main springs l5 are pivoted; and the other end of the bell crank is notched at 60 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and adjustably engages, by means 'of these notches, the clevis bearing member IS in which is mounted the clevis bolt I1 and the turnbuckle ill on which the load is supported through the rod l9. The clevis bearing member I6 is locked in position on lever l2 by means of clamping screws l9 and the pivot .bolt i3 is held in its adjusted position and moved from one position to another by means of the adjusting screws 2i and lock nuts 22.

At the opposite end of the frame I0 is another pivot bolt 25 to which the eye-bolts 26 at the opposite end of the main springs ii are secured.

Between the main springs l5 supplementary spring 28 is secured at one end to the pivot bolt 25 through the eye-bolt 29 and the other end through the eye-bolt 30 and the link 3|, is secured to the arm 32 on the side of the lever l2. This booster spring is made adjustable by means of the right and left hand threads respectively on the eye-bolts 29 and 30, which screw into the correspondingly threaded end plugs of the booster spring 28.

Thus it will have been seen that adjustments for various loads may be made at 29, at I3 and at It and adjustment of the angular range of movement for a given vertical range 'of movement of the load is'made at l8. According to the present invention these several adjustments are correlated and proper adjustment is facilitated by means of several scales associated respectively with each of these several points of adjustment, which indicate at a glance when the several adjustments are properly correlated.

In the first place a travel scale is provided at the pivot II as shown at 35. This is an angular scale with radial graduations which come into line with an index line on the end of stud l I on the lever l2 or any member secured to said lever to swing about its pivot and near the scale 35. These graduations are marked to indicate, respectively, the median line on which the operating range should be centered and a high and low limit of the proper operating range.

I Thus,by'adjustment of the turnbuckle l8 under themean and extreme condition the actual range of operation is properly centered with respect to the intendedrange of operation of the supportv device.

On the face ofthe lower arm of the lever I2 I have provided another scale 31 with lines adapted to be aligned with the corresponding indices on .a part secured to the pivot bolt l3 e. g., its hearing block 38. This scale indicates the adjustment of the main springs l5.

eye-bolt 29' and locked in position by means of the lock nut 49. Its opposite edge is beveled at 44 so as to provide an easily observed index for the scale on the cylindrical member 42 attached to the spring clutch.

As the spring is turned on the eye-bolts 29 and 30 to shorten or lengthen the booster, spring 28 the cylindrical scale member 42 attached to the end plug of the spring at one end moves in and out of the index barrel 81, thus indicating the degree of adjustment by the point at'which the index edge 44 stands on the scale. When a proper adjustment is secured, this point on .the scale member 42 will correspond to the point at which the index on the bearing block 38 stands on the scale 31 and in this way it is assured that the supplemental or compensating action of the spring 28 will be properly related to the primary action of main springs l5, whatever may be the adjustment required.

On the side of the housing at 50, I have pro-,

videda fourth scale composed of a series of relatively long vertical lines, each corresponding to one position of adjustment determined by the teethon the notched arm of the bell crank. lever l2 and the clevice bearing member I5 when cated by'the alignment of the center of the bolt.

I! with one or another of these vertical lines, and these lines moreover serve to secure a proper mounting of the device, since they may be aligned with a plumb line and with the supporting bolt or turnbuckle-members l1, l8, etc.

Ordinarily devices of this character are ordered fromengineering drawings and specifications, in which the load and movement of each device is predetermined. Accordingly the device when. it is sent from the factory will have a star or other significant indication stamped onto.

each scale at the proper point of adjustment or to indicate the proper range of movement. This will give an approximately accurate adjustment for purposes of installation; and, after the device is properly installed and with the load sup- "ported therefrom, a more perfectly accurate ad-- .iustmen't may be madeas' described above by I adjusting theturnbu'ckle l8 at mean and extreme conditions respectively to bring the range of movement-within the proper range of operation, of the device, and preferably with the mean condition occurring at the median line on the justme'nt at 2|v and at 28, as indicated on the scales and 31 respectively,-until the load is accurately supported. Unless, however, the adjustmentat I 8 is properly made the range of operation will not properly correspond with the proper range of movement as indicated on the scale 95 and it may be impossible to reach accurate support for the load by the adjustments at 2| and 28. It is an important advantage of my invention, therefore, that the scale 50 indicates at a glance. whether the adjustment l5 has been properly made. This indication will ordinarily be facilitated either by a significant marking, such asa star, etc., at the proper position for the particular hanger and the particular load or by indications of actual load in pounds at the various positions on the scale, from which the proper position for the given load can be quickly and readily determined.

In the case illustrated, in order to facilitate adjustment of the member IS on the arm I2, I have provided an opening in the housing Ill and a light dust cap 52 which is readily removable as'shown. In the case of heavier hangers, however, it may be important to use this portion of the. housing for additional structural strength in the frame and in such case adjustment may be made, e. g., by a long screw driver inserted from the bottom or in other convenient manner.

In Fig.7, I have shown a portion of the hanger constructed in this way and on it mounted a yoke or bracket which may be used with either type of support device. In the ordinary case, as shown in Fig. 1, these devices are supported by long bolts 53, 54 and 55 which pass through the openings in the frame Ill and these bolts are threaded to receive nuts to secure the frame in place. Where, however, it is not convenient to use more than a single support bolt this may i be conveniently accomplished by means of the adapter bracket 56 shown in Fig. 7. This, as

here indicated, is bolted to the top of the sup-., 5

top. An indicator line 58 on this member provides an alignment index for mounting. This line and one of the lines of the scale should, when the device is properly mounted, be plumb with the center line of the bolt 51 by which the 58 as shown corresponding to the scale 50.v

A typical use for supporting pipe lines of a device as defined in my invention may be. as

follows:

'The Rated capacity (supporting pull when Load indicator is set to Normal), Ad-

'70 "scale, and likewise by making corresponding adplaces." Actual travel should straddle Mid line on Travel scale 35, each division of which equals 1 justed capacity (supporting pull in pounds specified by customer), and Total travel (maximum for particular hanger in inches), are stamped on the plate at, the factory. Hangers are shipped set to, the Adjusted capacity'and with the letters H and C stamped on the, Travel scale 35 at points corresponding to the hotv and cold position respectively of the pipe, provided of course, the actual vertical expansion expected is given by the customer. tomer must stamp these-letters in their proper A0, of the Total travel of the hanger.

It is assumed first that the section of piping -to be supported is held in place temporarily by in pounds Otherwise the cusropes or chains, with the ends welded or bolted to adjacent section. It is further assumed that hanger rods of the proper lengths and spacing, are in place.

The Adapter bracket, if one is used, is bolted to the hanger, making certain that the lines 51 and 50 on the bracket and hanger frame are in I alignment.

, load lines 50-41. Upon removing the temporary supporting means the lower rod I9 is turned into the right and left threaded nuts of the hanger turnbuckle i8 and the pipe clamp (not shown) respectively until the Travel indicator points to reading C on the Travel scale 35 if the pipe is cold, and to "H if the pipe is hot. The lower rod i9 should be long enough so that it will appear in the sight" hole 20 otthe hanger turnbuckle l8 and pass entirely through the pipeclamp nut. This setting is secured by cotter pins or lock-nuts.

If the ends of the pipe section are free it is possible to adjust for exact balance as follows: Turn the lower hanger rod until the Travel indicator 35 points to reading C" or until the pipe begins to rise. If-the latter happens first it means that the supporting pull of the hanger is more than the pipe weighthence the Load and Booster indicators should be moved corresponding amounts toward Minimum? until the Travel indicator 35 points-to C. When all hangers on the section of pipe are thus adjusted,

' moved. Then, if the Travel indicator moves toward Low" the supporting pull of the hanger is less than the pipe weight and the Load and Booster indicators should be moved toward Maximum until the Travel indicator moves to C. When this is accomplished for all hangers, the ends of the pipe section should be welded or bolted to the adjacent sections.

Each division on the Load scale between Normal and Maximum corresponds to a definite percentage increase in load and between Normal" and "Minimum and to a definite percentage decrease in load.

Up to this point, in all probability, the insulation covering will not have been applied and the balancing of its weight must be provided for by increasing the supporting pulls oi' the hangers in proportionate amounts. If these amounts exceed the available range of spring adjustment then adjustment must be made at l6 or the spring units will have to be replaced by the next larger size.

Whenever a pipe line suspended on my Hangers is subjected to a hydrostatic test, the hangers should be fitted with Travel stops 60 during the test. Hydrostatic testing without Travel stops may cause an unbalance which would subject the pipe line to excessive strains. Stops hold the pipe line in the proper "cold" position during the test and prevent unbalance.

The markings 6| on the Travel stop 60 are identical with those on the Travel scale 35. The Travel stop is fitted to the hanger after first cutting it on 'the line that corresponds to the cold position on the Travel scale. Now, flt Tongue 62 on Travel stop into groove 63 on the lever I2 and secure to lever by use of threaded rod 64 screwed into tapped hole 65. After completing test, remove Travel stop and threaded rod.

What I claim is:

I 1. An adjustable constant tension support adapted for carrying high temperature pipe lines, of the type having a spring, a crank arm con-' nected to the spring for transmitting the force of the spring to the pipe line load carried thereby, said crank arm varying the mechanical advantage between the spring and load as the load moves, a'supplemental spring connected to the crank arm and adapted to compensate ior variation in the force of the first spring as applied to the'load, and a fixed frame in which said crank arm is pivot-ally mounted and to which one end of the first-named spring and one end of the supplemental spring, respective ly, are .connected, and which support further comprises an adjusting device for said firstnamed spring having a scale, and an adjusting device for said second-named spring having a scale, each of said scales having corresponding graduations to indicate corresponding adjustments of said respective springs to give compensation to the first spring by the supplemental spring, and a travel indicator having cooperating parts on the crank arm and frame respectively, to show variations in the position of the pipe line load caused by thermal expansion and contraction, whereby the adjustment of the adjusting devices may be related to the position of the operating parts.

2. An adjustable constant tension support 01' the type and including the combination defined in claim 1, in which the frame comprises a housing member of substantial. width and said combination further includes a bolt of substantial length for carrying the load from the crank, and said housing is provided on its side with straight line indicating means aligned with the bolt when the parts are properly related for carrying the load. I

JOSEPH KAYE WOOD. 

